By ZAKAA LAZARUS
The Director General of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu has stated that the Scheme’s deployment policy makes all Nigerian graduates mobilised for National Service equal, regardless of their social, economic, regional, ethnic and/or religious backgrounds.
He made the disclosure when he addressed Corps members deployed to Kwara State for the 2025 Batch ‘B’ Stream II Service Year, who are currently undergoing their three week Orientation Course at Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin.
The Director General reminded the Corps Members that some of them graduated from higher institutions within Nigeria while others attended foreign schools; some attended public schools while others went to private ones. Yet he said that in NYSC they were given similar bed spaces in the same hostels, same uniform, same food, equal allowances etc; and urged them to see themselves as members of the same family.
He reiterated that the rationale behind the establishment of NYSC 52 years ago, was for the promotion of unity and integration among the citizenry. He therefore enjoined them to establish friendships that would last a lifetime during the service year, noting that a network of good friends is the currency that reigns in today’s world.
General Nafiu equally called on the Corps Members to embrace the cultures and traditions of their host communities; emphasizing that doing so would give them an insight into the plight of the people, and place them in a better position to proffer solutions when saddled with leadership responsibilities, especially at the national level in future.
The NYSC helmsman encouraged the Corps Members to endure the regimented life pattern in camp, and explained that the essence of the exercise was to toughen them for the challenges they might encounter during and beyond the service year.
He also admonished them to grab the opportunity availed to them and take both the in-camp and post-camp Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) training seriously. He said that the training was meant to mold and mentor them to become self-reliant, business moguls and employers of labour, who would in turn contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
General Nafiu went ahead to warn the Corps Members against negative use of the social media, and advised them to channel their energy, intellect and ingenuity to making positive use of the new media, by creating contents that would impact lives.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the NYSC Kwara State Coordinator, Mr Joshua Onifade reported that a total of 1,304 Corps Members were registered in the State for the 2025 Batch ‘B’ Stream II Orientation Course. This comprised 767 female and 537 male.
The State Coordinator equally reported that the Corps Members had maintained high level of discipline and massive participation in all camp activities.
He equally commended camp officials for their
commitment and dedication to their duties, which had made it possible to record successes in every activity.
Mr Onifade used the occasion to express gratitude to Kwara State Governor, Mallam Abdulrahaman Abulrazak for not just approving Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, for NYSC to use as venue of the Orientation Course, but also for ensuring that all facilities required for the smooth conduct of the exercise were put in place. He revealed that part of such facilities were the 250 double bunk beds supplied by the State Government specifically for Corps Members.
He concluded his remarks by thanking the management of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, for releasing the institution’s facilities to NYSC to host the Orientation Exercise.
